


Amongst The Living

by the_quiet_void



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series), Helluva Boss (Web Series)
Genre: Angel Dust and Stolas are best friends, Angel Dust gets to see his sister in the living world, Angel becomes human, Angel feels better after, Stolas helps Angel with his grimoire, They talk about Angel's suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:33:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26312701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_quiet_void/pseuds/the_quiet_void
Summary: Angel Dust asks Stolas for a favor that would let him see his sister once again in the living world. Stolas, knowing how much this means to his friend, says yes.
Relationships: Angel Dust & Molly (Hazbin Hotel), Angel Dust & Stolas
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I went through and made some edits!

It was late as Angel waited by the front steps of the hotel. Stolas had wanted to speak with him about a question he had asked over the phone a few days ago.

A few minutes later, a car with Stolas’ family crest rolls up to the curb. Angel immediately opens the door, a habit after all this time. Stolas gives Angel a hug before Angel takes a seat, and the car heads towards Stolas’ mansion. 

“Angel,” Stolas begins. “How are you doing?”

Angel shrugs his shoulder noncommittally and says, “Eh. I’ve been betta.”

“Angel, why do you need my grimoire?” Stolas inquires softly, while resting a hand on Angel’s shoulder.

“I jus’ need it.” Angel looked him in the eyes, and Stolas took in a breath. “Please. This is the only time I’ll ever ask. I promise I’ll explain when we’re your place.”

Stolas agreed quietly, concerned for his friend.

-

You see, Stolas and Angel Dust had become close friends quite fast and now talked on a regular basis, usually about Blitzo and Husk or they would talk shit about Val. It wasn’t always that, though; sometimes it was a lot heavier. 

Stolas would talk about his love for his daughter and, while his wife may not care for him, he does truly want her to be happy. He loves deeply for those close to him but tends to end up all alone. 

Angel would talk about his family issues, his unconditional love for Molly and his pained love for Arackniss. He rarely spoke about his mother but when he did he could barely get the words out before sobbing. He would choke out how much he blames himself for her death, but there was nothing that would have changed it.

In the end, Stolas and Angel always were there for eachother when others couldn’t get past their walls. There would be gentle, comforting touches and kind words exchanged in the silence. 

-

After getting to the mansion and heading up to Stolas’ study and library, Angel sat in a chair across from Stolas.

“Alright, here goes.” Angel took a deep breath. “I want to see my sista in the livin’ world. Ya know, my momma’s in Heaven, so I can’t see her and I’ve already had one too many altercations with my brotha and pops. I need my sista.”

Angel stared at the ground, beginning to shake slightly. Stolas didn’t know what to think. Angel had never asked anything like this before of him. But Stolas just couldn’t say no to Angel’s hunched form.

“Angel, I can do this for you,” Angel immediately looked at him, trying not to cry but failing. He stood up and gave Stolas a very tight hug.

“But you can’t go to see your sister like that. Thankfully there’s a transformation spell I know. It doesn’t last long, but it will have to do. Now wipe those tears, my dear friend.”

Stolas smiled at Angel, still wrapped around him. Angel wiped his eyes and nodded.

“God, I’m gonna see my sista again.” Angel whispered to himself.

Stolas went to work collecting all the materials, and Angel helped wherever he could after the shock dulled.

-

A few hours later, Stolas and Angel had set up the pentagram and laid out candles at each point. Stolas had also prepared the concoction for transformation. Stolas turned to face Angel.

“Okay. Let’s begin. Drink this.” He handed Angel the cup of a black liquid that smelled a lot like something from his past that he could only vaguely remember.

Angel downed it, not wanting to savor the familiar spice of liquor it left. He waited until a flash of white light drowned out the room, and Stolas quickly shielded his eyes.

After a moment, Stolas pulled his hand away and looked at Angel’s new form.

Angel was now his old self, his living self. He had his blond hair, pale human skin, his iconic hat, and his pink pinstripe suit with his brown coat and fluff along the neckline. He was also significantly shorter than Stolas, who is about the same height as Angel in his demon form at nearly nine feet tall. 

Angel could barely process being human. It felt so strange after being a demon for so long.

“Angel, you’re so cute!” Stolas was staring with his big red eyes.

Angel crossed his one set of arms now, saying, “I am not.”

“Yes, you are! I just want to put you in my nest like I did with Via when she was just an owlet.” Stolas was gushing, and Angel knew he wouldn’t stop if he got too into it.

“Alright, alright,” Angel agreed. “Now let’s continue with this whole thing!”

Stolas nodded quickly and opened his grimoire, chanting in latin and something else he didn’t recognize. Before long the pentagram erupted in flames and Angel got ready to jump in.

Stolas put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Angel, this will open up close to wherever your sister is. But I can’t go with you, so just be careful and come back before the transformation ends… And please be safe.”

Angel put a hand over his, saying kindly, “There’s nothing to worry about, Stolas. I was human for over thirty years, so I’ll be fine.”

Stolas nodded as Angel jumped through the portal, worry still evident in his expression.

-

In only a few seconds Angel was thrown out of the portal and hit the ground on his back. He coughed heavily and slowly sat up. He shook the fog from his head and looked around. He was behind a big building, so he grabbed his hat and in no time made his way around to the front. 

When he got on the street, he gasped, mouth hanging open. The buildings were all the same, but now there were billboards, strange outfits, and cars that he had never seen before. A few passerbys gave him weird looks as he took it all in.

After a moment of ogling, he focused on the building he had popped up behind. A sign in the front read: Cherry Groves Retirement Home.

Angel covered his mouth. _Is she really… Was I really gone that long? _He thought, pain feeling like a needle in his heart.__

__He took in a deep breath to steady himself as he made his way to the front door. He pushed them open and walked inside._ _


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel meets his sister after all this time.
> 
> TW: It's typical Angel angst. There is a part where Molly recounts what happened the day Angel commit suicide, however.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy!

Angel walked up to the front desk, not caring about anything but seeing his sister. Behind the desk, a woman sat with her hair tied up in a neat bun. Her name tag read: Amanda.

“How can I help you sir?” She said.

Feeling nervous, he wrung his hands together, and said, “Amanda, I would like to see Molly. She has blond hair, but it might be grey now, and um blue eyes and ummm…”

Angel tries to tell her about Molly, but he doesn’t even know what she looks like or how she acts. Amanda’s eyes lit up.

She nodded, “Ah, yes! I know who you’re talking about. What’s your relation? I have never seen you here before.”

“Ah.” Angel rubbed his neck. “I’m her brother.”

Amanda guffawed. “What? You look so young!”

“You’re sweet, sugar. Our dad just had me super late.” Angel lied effortlessly.

“Ah, alright!” She typed a note on her computer. “Just sign the visitor log right there.” She pointed to a book next to him.

Letting out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding, he nodded and signed the form.

“Alright. Follow me!” She said kindly and moved to walk down the hallway, Angel following close behind.

They passed many doors and a recreational area with some residents talking and playing games.

Finally, they came to a stop in front of one of the doors with her name tag. Amanda knocked and opened the door softly.

“Molly. You have a visitor.”

Angel’s sister was sitting in a rocking chair on the balcony, the sliding door open. She looked up towards Angel as he walked towards her. The first thing that crossed her face was shock then a terrible sorrow. He never wanted to see that look on her face ever again. Angel proceeded to take off his hat and clutch it against his stomach. She looked so different from when he had last seen her. Her long golden hair and unblemished skin long gone with old age.

“Anthony? Is that really you?” She could barely even get that much out before he nodded. He knew it was her from her voice.

Angel kneeled in front of his sister and began to sob into her blanket. She didn’t seem surprised, only concerned, runnnin her hands through his hair and speaking quietly of her love for him out of habit.

In that moment, every single thing that Angel had ever suffered through, in death and life, came rushing towards him like a bowling ball. 

The pain he had felt the very first time his father had ever hit him, while his brother stared at the ground too afraid to move and too guilty to look at him.

His mother's kind face and cold hands as she died from a terrible sickness laying in her bed.

The very first time Val had ever taken advantage of him, and Angel had cried afterwards feeling disgusting in his own body. 

The many times Angel had been forced into sex with someone in a porno or on the streets because his contract with Val made him feel as if he was bound by metal chains, leaving deep bruises in his skin, and he knew he couldn’t say no without facing the consequences.

After a while, Angel finally looked up at Molly. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears as she gently ran her fingers through his hair.

“Anthony, it’s going to be okay. I promise I will never leave you.” She comforted him just as she had when they were alive together.

Angel slowly got up and sat down in the chair next to hers.

She reached for his hand and they entwined their fingers, memories of when they were alive by eachothers side. “Anthony, how are you here? You died decades ago. Are you even real?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I am, and it’s a long story, Molls, but I’m here now at least for a little bit.”

“Okay.”

He turned to look at her, really look at her. She was so different from the last time he had seen her, especially her hair now completely white and skin wrinkled, but he could still see the remnants of what she used to look like. In fact, the one thing that hadn’t changed was her eyes. They still sparkled as bold and blue as they had ever been when he was alive.

She squeezed his hand and said, “Tell me how you’re here.”

He looked away. “Molls, I don’t know if I can. It’s really complicated.”

“Anthony! Just tell me already. I’m your sister for godsake!” Angel looked at her, suddenly more nostalgic.

Angel rubbed his other hand across his neck. “I’m dead, Molly. I’ve been dead a really long time. I can only be here for a little bit before I gotta leave.”

Molly didn’t seem shocked. “I knew you couldn’t have come back from the dead. I was the one who found ya, ya know.”

Angel made a sound like a wounded animal. “No, Molls. I’m so sorry. I-”

She cut him off. “I found ya there in your room. I was checkin’ in on ya after that bad fight with pops a few days before.” She paused and took in a breath. “You had already died. Your curtains were pulled, so I went over to open them. I called to you to wake you, thinking you were merely asleep under your blanket. My hand brushed across your leg, cold as ice. I could feel the fear race through me as I pulled the blanket away from your face. 

“Your skin was inhumanly pale and I could see the veins under your skin. You had curled up like a baby. It made my skin crawl as I tried to process it. I fell on the floor and backed up ‘til I hit the wall. I wretched and shook on the floor. I could barely call out for help.

“After that pops found ya and he was shocked and angry. I couldn’t say if he was mad at himself or you. Our brother couldn’t stand to look at ya, guilt clear in his eyes.”

Molly had started to stare at something far away, tears falling across her cheeks. Angel felt his heart clench and he felt terrible shame. 

“Molly, I just… I couldn’t anymore. Not after what he had done.”

Molly finally turned to look at him. Her lip quivered as she said, “I know, but I would have helped. I would have ran away right then and there, if it had meant you would have still been alive. I would have done anythin’ to help you, but you couldn’t see that. Your mind was hazy and clouded over with the pain and your drugs. It was Angel Dust, right? At least that’s what you always called it anyways.”

Angel couldn’t look her in the eyes, feeling her frustration and sadness. “Molls, I can’t change what I did, then or before that. I know that and it kills me every single second I’m still breathing.”

“I know, and I haven’t been mad at you for a long time. It all happened so long ago and I’m too old to hate my dead family.” She let out a sigh. “Anthony, I love you so much, and no matter if this is real or not, you have to remember that. I missed you so much after you died, and I still do all the time.”

Angel held both her hands. “Molly, my sweet little sis-” 

“You’re only older by 6 minutes, so watch it.” She said, just like when they were little kids. Angel felt a feeling nostalgia and sadness bubble up in his chest.

He held up his hands. “Alright, alright! But I love you too. I won’t burden you with all that has happened, but I never stopped needing my sister. There were so many moments that I wished to have you back, to feel your comforting hugs and hear your kind voice. ”

She nodded and they fell into a comfortable silence. A calmness that Angel had never felt before washing across him, body and soul.

After a moment of silence, Angel asked, “Molly, what did you do after I died? Ya know, after I died.”

She looked at Angel then off into the distance. “Pops and our brother died soon after that. It was a shootout over some sort of drug deal. I don’t remember much besides getting as much cash outta Pop’s safe as I could. I ran as far from our home as I could and ended up somewhere in the country. I bought a house with the money and filled my days with endless hobbies,” She turned to look at Angel, a small smile on her face. 

“I actually became a painter. It was a good way to work through all the memories of the past, and I made a decent living off of it. I also remember all the barn cats that would wander into my studio. I had a few too many paintings stepped on or covered in cat fur, but I found peace for the rest of my life until I retired.”

They spoke for a while after that about her art and what else she remembered until the visiting hours were over. 

Before he left, the last thing she told him was “Don’t hold it in, Angie. Let people love you and care for you. I know it’s hard, but I never want you to be in pain like that again, bottling it all up until the bottle cracks with the force. Okay?”

He held her close for the last time. He didn’t know how he knew, but he could tell that she was coming to the end very soon. Angel said his goodbyes and put on his hat.

Angel was full of new, raw emotions as old wounds began to heal. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so undeniably, wholly human. 

He went through the reopened portal and landed in Stolas’ house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are very appreciated! Tell me what you liked, what you didn't, if I made any typos, etc. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> I wanted to post sooner, but my mental health has been a train wreck. I hope you liked this and comment below if you did or have questions!!


End file.
